Part 1 of our interview last week with Candice McField gave us an inside look into what drives her passion for fitness and helping others through fitness coaching. This week, Candice McField happily answers your fitness and nutrition questions.
We sat down with Candice one week after taking the stage and here are her responses to your inquiries:
What advice would you give people who want to improve their fitness but feel they don’t have the time?
Remember the saying ‘Una mas’. It’s Spanish for “one more.” I say it all the time in life and especially when working out. There is power in “one more.” Do one more rep, hit the gym one more day, get started one more time, don’t give up one more time, etc. For those that feel they don’t have the time, I would say the first step is to admit they are making an excuse. The truth is we are all busy and do not have time. The difference is we make time for the people we love and the things that are important to us. I would say to that person, give me 10 minutes a day, and let’s grow from there. The cost of ten minutes of working out greatly exceeds the cost of today’s medical bills, health complications, or the devastation your family will feel should something tragic happen to you. Start today, no excuses. Give me 10 minutes and remember, una mas.
How do I train my brain to ignore instant gratification and stay focused on long-term results?
Personally, I have always been highly driven. I won’t lie, it can be quite challenging, even for me, to ignore instant gratification and focus on long-term results. Those who know me well know I love desserts – ice cream, cookies, pies, cakes, you name it! Moreover, I can’t forget about pizza, Mexican food, and adult beverages! I definitely indulge and take part in the “good life,” but my overall goal is to eat clean 90% of the time when I’m off-season. I know if I stick with this, I will maintain where I want to be until it is time for me to roll back to in-season mode. Your long-term goals have to outweigh your short-term desires. For instance, I love Mexican food and I love a great margarita. If I am going to have a margarita, then I will order a salad. If I am not going to have a margarita then I’ll order a traditional dish. Lastly, I do not beat myself up if I fall off-the bandwagon. I rarely have a ‘cheat day’ rather it will be a chat meal a few times a week. Remember, una mas. Get on the bandwagon and stay on the bandwagon.
I’m cursed with butt and thighs, what are your secret workout tricks to keep those butt and thighs tight and right?
I am sure some people would kill to be cursed with glutes and thighs! We tend to be the toughest critics of our own bodies and I totally understand the desire to want to keep things right and tight. Many minorities, especially African Americans tend to hold most of their weight in their glutes, hips, and quads. There is not a secret workout trick to combat this. You have to do everything…eat clean, workout consistently, sleep 7-8 hours consistently, etc. Training for my show this year, I incorporated a new exercise to assist with my glute and hip development. Not only do I walk at an incline, I also walk sideways, working the abductor and adductor muscles. It is an incredible way to keep the glutes, hips, and quads right and tight.
What’s the best trick to shred those last 5 pounds? Should I do more sprints or more ab workouts?
It is not a question of more sprints or ab workouts. Simply doing only one of the two options most likely won’t get you to your 5-pound weight loss goal. It’s about eating clean and in this case, 100% of the time, plus increasing your cardio and getting adequate rest. Those last five pounds most likely require you to dial in your nutrition and increase your cardio versus doing more ab workouts.
What’s the best cardio to tone or weight workout routine to tone? Do I do more reps at lighter weight or heavier weights?
There is no one-method-fits-all to tone. It is more about constantly keeping your body guessing and conquering plateaus. It is also about listening and understanding your body to know what exactly is best for you. For example, I know my body can handle carbs better than some others can. I also know that incline work and sprints are great for my body. This doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best way to unlock optimal performance for everyone else. Overtime, you will discover what is best for you. The main idea is to keep the body guessing by diversifying your reps, sets, and amount of weight used. Lastly, I truly think it is important to give your body one day off per week to recover.
How often do you think we should have a cheat meal? Should we have one cheat meal per week or one cheat meal every 2 weeks?
There is no hard, set rule. As always, it’s about understanding your body and knowing what works best for you. Whether you should or should not consume cheat meals depends on what your goals are and how close you are to meeting those goals. For example, an individual may need to achieve 100% accuracy in all areas (e.g., nutrition, strength training, sleep) in order to reach their goal. If that is the case, there can be no cheat meals. The number of cheat meals one can have varies from 0-4 (maybe 5), depending on where they are starting and where they’d like to end in terms of personal fitness goals. What’s more important to note is that we are speaking of cheat meals, not days. Cheat meals must be reasonable. You can’t eat an entire large pizza and call that a cheat meal. A cheat meal would be two slices of pizza.
Do you have questions for Candice? Submit them to, trainer@candicemcfield.com
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February is the month of love. This is the season of flowers, chocolates, and romantic dinners. While you are thinking about that perfect gift for your partner this month, consider the gift of health and fitness. Studies show that people working toward improving their health by adopting healthy habits, including exercise, have greater success when their counterparts are pursuing similar interests.
Unfortunately, most people gain weight during the holidays that tends to become permanent weight. Even worse, year after year these pounds add up! CMF’s The Holidays: Nope I Won’t Gain! removes the guesswork. We teach you educational and practical tips that if followed will prevent you from gaining weight during the holidays!